MLB News

Best Rivalry in Baseball?

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By Ryan Wagner, @rwags614

There's nothing more entertaining than watching a game between twoteams that hate each other. The hard slides into second base, thebrush backs from the pitchers, and the words exchanged from the dugoutall make for high drama, but also for damn good baseball.

The Reds and the Cardinals have long been considered one of baseball'spremier rivalries. In recent years, they have been somewhatovershadowed by Yankees-Red Sox, and even the Cubs-Cardinals, but in2011, it seems the bad blood of yesteryear has bubbled to the surface.

You could see the rivalry heating up again last season, as the Redsstormed to their first division championship in more than a decade.The Cardinals had been the cream of the division for several years andweren't happy about being knocked from their perch, especially by theReds. Cincy All-Star second baseman Brandon Phillips has made it hispersonal mission to stir the pot between these two clubs at everyopportunity. And it's working.

These two teams really don't like each other, and it's a lot of fun towatch. I can only hope both stay in the division race late intoSeptember because nothing heats up bad blood like a race to thepostseason.

What do you think is the best rivalry in baseball? Tweet me @rwags614.

There's nothing more entertaining than watching a game between twoteams that hate each other. The hard slides into second base, thebrush backs from the pitchers, and the words exchanged from the dugoutall make for high drama, but also for damn good baseball.

The Reds and the Cardinals have long been considered one of baseball'spremier rivalries. In recent years, they have been somewhatovershadowed by Yankees-Red Sox, and even the Cubs-Cardinals, but in2011, it seems the bad blood of yesteryear has bubbled to the surface.

You could see the rivalry heating up again last season, as the Redsstormed to their first division championship in more than a decade.The Cardinals had been the cream of the division for several years andweren't happy about being knocked from their perch, especially by theReds. Cincy All-Star second baseman Brandon Phillips has made it hispersonal mission to stir the pot between these two clubs at everyopportunity. And it's working.

These two teams really don't like each other, and it's a lot of fun towatch. I can only hope both stay in the division race late intoSeptember because nothing heats up bad blood like a race to thepostseason.

What do you think is the best rivalry in baseball? Tweet me @rwags614.